Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

The Exposition of the Index (Anukramaṇī) of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata

Devanagari script

प्रौष्ठपद्यां पूर्णिमायां हेमसिंहसमन्वितम् । देयं भागवतायेदं द्विजायप्रीतिपूर्वकम् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

prauṣṭhapadyāṃ pūrṇimāyāṃ hemasiṃhasamanvitam | deyaṃ bhāgavatāyedaṃ dvijāyaprītipūrvakam || 23 ||

Translation

Au jour de pleine lune de Prauṣṭhapadī, ce don, orné de l’emblème d’un lion d’or, doit être offert avec une révérence du cœur à un brāhmane Bhāgavata, dévot du Seigneur Bienheureux.

Word by Word

• prauṣṭhapadyām: on (the full-moon day) of Prauṣṭhapadī
• prauṣṭhapadyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prauṣṭhapadī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• pūrṇimāyām: on the full-moon (day)
• pūrṇimāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrṇimā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

• hema-siṃha-samanvitam: adorned with a golden lion (emblem/figure)
• hema-siṃha-samanvitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hema (प्रातिपदिक) + siṃha (प्रातिपदिक) + samanvita (कृदन्त; सम्+अन्वि/अन्वि धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण (past participle used adjectivally)

• deyam: should be given
• deyam: Vidhi (विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deya (कृदन्त; दा धातु, यत्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); विधेय-विशेषण (predicative: “to be given”)

• bhāgavatāya: to a Bhāgavata devotee
• bhāgavatāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāgavata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• idam: this (item/text)
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc. 1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• dvijāya: to a twice-born (Brāhmaṇa)
• dvijāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/4th), एकवचन (Singular)

• prīti-pūrvakam: with affection; as a prelude of love
• prīti-pūrvakam: Hetu/Prakāra (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prīti (प्रातिपदिक) + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Indeclinable), अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)

Speaker

Narada

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan (Vishnu)
• Bhagavata
• Dvija (Brahmana)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It teaches that charity becomes spiritually potent when timed to an auspicious tithi (Pūrṇimā) and offered to a worthy recipient—a Bhāgavata dvija—with genuine reverence, thereby nurturing dharma and Vishnu-bhakti.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Bhakti is expressed here as prīti-pūrvaka dāna—giving with loving faith to a devotee of Bhagavān—showing that devotion is not only inward worship but also respectful service and support of the Lord’s devotees.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It implicitly uses Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa (sacred calendrics) by prescribing the specific lunar observance—Prauṣṭhapadī Pūrṇimā—as the proper timing for the rite of dāna.